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Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe

This Lemon Blueberry Bread has the perfect mix of bright citrus, juicy blueberries, and a tender crumb—expert-tested for the best flavor and texture!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8
Calories: 379 kcal
Course: Breakfast, Snacks, Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the bread:
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, (High Altitude + 2-4 tablespoons, unbleached
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder HA reduce to 1 ½ tsp
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup cane sugar or regular granulated sugar (HA reduce to heaping ⅓ cup, all-natural
  • 2 lemon zested and juiced, plural
  • ⅔ cup yogurt full fat (full fat keeps it moist & rich, plain, Greek
  • ¼ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed, about two lemons
  • ½ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
  • 2 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract optional, or emulsion
  • 1 tablespoon flour To toss the blueberries in
  • 1 cup blueberries fresh, rinsed or frozen, do not thaw
Lemon Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tablespoon butter melted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk Omit if using more lemon juice
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C) and grease an 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper or loaf pan liners.
  2. Rinse blueberries (fresh only) and toss with one tablespoon of flour and set aside. (If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw). Tossing blueberries in flour helps them stay suspended in the batter, so they don’t sink to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to blend them into each other to release the flavor in the zest, it should look like wet sand.
  5. Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until smooth.
  6. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter should be thick.
  7. Gently fold in the blueberries, noting that when using frozen blueberries over folding might cause the berries to bleed into the batter. No biggie, but your quickbread may turn purple.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If desired, run a butter knife down the middle to encourage a center split.
  9. Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick or skewer inserted comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs. If browning too quickly, lay a piece of foil over the top.
  10. Cool for 30 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack, then cool completey before glazing.
Lemon Butter Glaze
  1. In a small bowl, add sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, vanilla extract, milk (if using), and a pinch of salt. Whisk until blended. For more lemony flavor, use only lemon juice to thin. Drizzle over cooled bread.

Notes

  • Storage Tips:
  • See the post for tips if baking using a gas oven. 
  • Stand Mixer Instructions:
  • Blueberries: Lightly rinse fresh berries so flour sticks better. Toss in flour to keep them from sinking. For frozen berries, coat in flour but don’t rinse.
  • Lemon Juice: Two lemons usually yield ¼ cup juice, but this varies by size and juiciness.
  • Oil Choice: Avocado oil is mild and healthier than vegetable oil, but both work fine.
  • Lemon Extract: Boosts flavor but is optional. Want more lemon punch? Use ¾ teaspoon instead of ½ teaspoon.
  • Baking Time: Ovens vary! Start checking at 40 minutes (or 35 if your oven runs hot). Mine was perfect at 48 minutes, but quickbreads can take up to an hour or longer. Be patient, if your bread starts browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil. 
  • Pan Type: Using glass or dark metal? Lower temp to 325°F and bake longer.
  • Glaze Tip: Make ahead and microwave for 8 seconds if too thick to drizzle. Want less glaze? Halve the recipe!
  • Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Fridge: Wrap well and refrigerate up to 5 days, but fridges tend to dry bread out.
  • Freeze: Wrap unglazed bread in plastic wrap + foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thawing: Let sit unwrapped at room temp for 1-2 hours, then glaze if needed.
  • Already Glazed? Freeze unwrapped for 30 min, then wrap and store.
  • In the bowl of your mixer, combine sugar and lemon zest. Mix on low to release lemon oils.
  • Add eggs and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  • Slowly drizzle in oil, then add Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract (if using), and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
  • With mixer on low, add ½ of the flour mixture and mix until just a few streaks of flour remain.
  • Add the remaining flour mixture and mix only until combined.
  • Hand-fold in the flour-coated blueberries to avoid overmixing.

Nutrition Information

Calories 379kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 53g (18%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 10g (50%) Trans Fat 0.1g (5%) Cholesterol 51mg (17%) Sodium 361mg (15%) Potassium 125mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 31g (62%) Vitamin A 131IU (3%) Vitamin C 17mg (19%) Calcium 99mg (10%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 379

% Daily Value*

Calories 379kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 53g 18%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 51mg 17%
Sodium 361mg 15%
Potassium 125mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 31g 62%
Vitamin A 131IU 3%
Vitamin C 17mg 19%
Calcium 99mg 10%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.